Quiet Just Isn't Quite Right
by CamsthiSky
Summary: Peaceful doesn't always mean quiet. And quiet doesn't always mean peaceful. Something Tsuna thinks about after sending his guardians out on their first missions. He's never felt so alone before. But, he's reminded that sometimes it doesn't matter if it's quiet or noisy, as long as he has his family. One-shot.


I've been working on this one for a couple of weeks, but all of my one-shots are pretty slow going lately, what with me updating WT every week. Anyways, hopefully you like this one! Read and Review!

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Tsuna was anxious.

The curtains were drawn back, allowing the sun to stream happily through the office windows, giving the room a pleasant feeling as its light gleamed on the clean mahogany desk. The atmosphere in the room was quiet, calm, and relaxed, and with no paperwork to do, Sawada Tsunayoshi should have been relaxed, too.

But he wasn't. To him, the sun streaming through the windows was tinted with a dull gray, tainting the atmosphere and leaving him antsy, anxious, like he needed something to distract him for the time being.

He wasn't really sure how to properly describe it, but he felt odd. Almost...empty. Like something was missing. The oddness left him fidgety and uneasy.

The door opened quietly and Tsuna, who had been staring out the window as he leaned back in his chair, nursing a frown, immediately sat up to greet his visitor. After finding only an amused Arcobaleno, Tsuna slumped in his chair.

"You know," Reborn drawled as he fiddled with his gun, "it's not befitting of a boss to present himself in such a way."

Tsuna hummed quietly in response but did nothing to correct his posture. Instead he leaned back further into the comfortable leather chair. Even if he was the Decimo, he still liked to have some fun defying Reborn, especially on an empty day like this. It was a good distraction.

Reborn glared at him but said nothing as he walked over to his student's side, jumping onto the desk to be at a more even height with Tsuna. The brunet didn't say anything, either. His fingers drummed restlessly against the arm of his chair and they were like ear-splitting explosions in the silent room.

"What's wrong with you?" Reborn asked.

Tsuna could tell the hitman was suspicious of his odd behavior, but he wasn't sure how to describe what was wrong when he didn't know himself. He was just as clueless as anyone else. He settled for a shrug in response, unable to find a way to properly convey his empty feeling to Reborn. He knew the hitman wouldn't like it, but Tsuna couldn't help it if he couldn't find the right words.

He was right when he had said that Reborn wouldn't like his silence. The Arcobaleno frowned in irritation, but thankfully didn't push. Tsuna was glad.

After a few more moments of quietness, Tsuna decided that he couldn't take it anymore.

"Where's Takeshi?" he asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

Reborn gave him a sharp glare that he ended up twitching under, but answered his question anyways. "In Japan. Exactly where you sent him to three days ago."

"And Hayato?"

"Rendezvousing with Ryohei in America."

"Hibari?"

"China."

"Mukuro and Chrome?"

"Both of them are in Russia."

Tsuna sighed, leaning his head back and letting it rest on the chair. "What about Lambo?"

Reborn snorted. "The stupid cow's upstairs. He's the only one you didn't send."

Tsuna nodded, feeling emptier than before. He would have thought hearing about his guardians would have helped fill this empty hole in his chest, but no such luck. It hadn't seemed to do anything but make the void bigger.

Reborn was scrutinizing him. Tsuna, even though he was staring at the ceiling, knew the hitman was watching him. Not really caring about what the tutor did or didn't do, though, Tsuna sighed again. This was probably going to turn out to be a rather long day and he wasn't looking forward to the quietness.

"You miss them."

Tsuna stilled. He didn't answer his tutor, but then again, it didn't seem to be a question. Just a simple assessment; a conclusion Reborn had reached. "Why don't you go talk to Lambo and stop sulking down here in your office."

"I'm not sulking," Tsuna said.

And he wasn't. He was just...empty. Needed a distraction but he couldn't bring himself to find one. He wanted this feeling to go away, but he didn't want anyone but his friends to take it away. It was a horrible situation, really. One that really had no solution other than bringing his guardians home, but that would serve to create other problems. So, all he could do now was wait. Wait for them to come back to him.

And he had no doubts they would, but it just wasn't the same without his boisterous friends surrounding him. He just felt so empty as he waited impatiently for their return.

"You _are_ ," Reborn stressed. "You think you're not, but you are. It's so painfully obvious that I figured it out the moment I walked in here. Just go talk to Lambo and get over it."

"There's nothing to get over, Reborn," Tsuna argued, still holding his idle staring contest with the ceiling. It was winning three to zero, but at least Tsuna had only blinked three times. He was certain he could hold out against the fourth. "I just have to wait for them to come home."

"One's already home. Believe it or not, you still have family here," Reborn said.

"I know."

"Then why are you acting like it's the end of the world?" Reborn asked. "So you sent them on their first missions. They're going to survive, right? They're going to come back."

"I know."

"You're not acting like you know," Reborn scowled.

Tsuna just sighed a third time. Reborn just didn't get it. He believed in his friends. He probably had more faith in them than they did in themselves, but that wasn't the problem.

"It's quiet," Tsuna murmured.

Tsuna imagined Reborn raising an eyebrow. He knew it probably hadn't happened since this was Reborn and everyone knew that Reborn only had three emotions—angry, amused, and _highly_ amused (evil). There was no way Tsuna had caught Reborn off guard enough to make him raise an eyebrow.

"Care to elaborate?" Reborn asked, not sounding like he cared whether Tsuna told him or not. Tsuna almost snorted at that thought, knowing the Arcobaleno probably understood exactly what was going on his head right now, but just wanted to get him to admit it. Reborn's ways of teaching were so odd sometimes.

Tsuna shrugged. "It's quiet. I don't like it."

Lambo might have been in the mansion, but Tsuna couldn't hear him. He was used to a boisterous home full of explosions and gunfire and kids screaming and friends arguing. That had been his life for the past few years. And while it had been annoying and irritating at first, it meant things were peaceful.

 _Peaceful didn't always mean quiet._

But here, in the Vongola mansion, it was quiet. Too quiet. No explosives ever went off, Gokudera and Lambo both realizing that this wasn't a place they could destroy carelessly. There was hardly any gunfire, Reborn no longer shooting anything that annoyed him as he was usually in the presence of other Mafioso and had to maintain a professional attitude. There wasn't any screaming or arguing, either. His friends were still rather tense from the move to Italy to really talk to each other and Lambo and I-pin had been rather subdued by the move as well.

 _And quiet didn't always mean peaceful._

It was disconcerting and he realized exactly why he had been feeling so empty now. He didn't just miss his friends, he missed his old lifestyle. He missed the peaceful times he spent with everyone in Namimori. Now that he had to take up the mantle, he could no longer take comfort in the cacophony of sounds from his old life.

"Is quiet so bad?" Reborn asked. "If I recall correctly, you were the one blaming me for all the chaos in your life. Now that it's gone are you going to take back your wish for peace and quiet?"

Tsuna scowled at the white expanse above him. "You _are_ the reason for all of the chaos in my life. But," Tsuna's gaze softened, "I don't think I hate you for it anymore. I miss all of the noise. I miss how everyone used to act. I just feel...empty without it all."

"Empty?" Reborn smirked. "I thought you didn't want to be a mafia boss."

"I _didn't_ ," Tsuna said. "I still don't. But I just want things to normal again. In Italy, it's like everything is rigid and hushed. And I can't relax. I just want to be surrounded by the sounds of my family being themselves again."

"Sounds like quite a predicament," Reborn said.

Tsuna was narrowing his eyes at the hitman in seconds. "What are you planning, Reborn?"

"Nothing," Reborn said, acting innocent when they both knew he wasn't. Then the hitman smirked. "Just wait for your family to get home, Dame-Tsuna. I'm sure you'll relax by then."

And then the hitman was gone.

Os

Later that week, Tsuna was lying face down on the sofa, almost drowning in the soft cushions when he heard a timid knock on the door. Tsuna didn't bother answering it. He was way too invested in appreciating the comfort he was feeling in this perilous position, barely caring that he could possibly suffocate.

He didn't move when he heard the door slowly creak open, whoever had knocked entering. Not feeling any hostile intent, Tsuna stayed where he was. He was drowsy and light-headed and didn't feel like moving. The sofa cushions were really soft.

Plus, it was a rather good distraction, one even Mukuro would probably appreciate. The illusionist really had an taste for odd things that could quite possible distract or kill Tsuna, maybe even both.

Someone choked on their own breath.

It occurred to Tsuna, later on, after he had retired for the night, that he probably shouldn't have stayed face down on the couch after the knock. To some people, it probably looked like he was dying or something.

"Tsuna!"

Tsuna's fingers twitched in recognition.

"Tsuna! Oh my—Holy hell. Are you okay?! Tsuna?!"

Tsuna was suddenly dragged into a sitting position, squinting against the sudden light of the bright room. He blinked lethargically at the man who had forcibly hauled him from his contentment in drowning in the sofa cushions.

"...Dino?"

The blond Italian looked like someone had just held Tsuna at gunpoint, his face full of terror as he looked his self-proclaimed little brother up and down, making sure that Tsuna was alright. After confirming that Tsuna was fine, Dino's mouth twitched up into a relieved smile.

"Sorry, Tsuna," the Cavallone boss apologized. "You weren't moving and I thought that..."

Dino didn't finish and Tsuna didn't push. Instead, the brunet just rubbed his face wearily and yawned.

"What time is it?" Tsuna asked. "Reborn said he would shoot me in the head if I wasn't up by noon."

"It's eleven," Dino said, still pale. He looked terrible and scared, though Tsuna didn't really understand why.

Tsuna sighed. As much as he loved Dino's visits, he wasn't in the mood for the clumsy boss's antics today. He was still feeling as anxious and empty as ever, hence the distraction of drowning in the sofa.

"Then can I go back to enjoying how soft the cushions are?" Tsuna complained.

Dino looked at him strangely and it occurred to Tsuna that he had become too accustomed to the craziness surrounding his life that his way of thinking was probably odd to an outsider's point of view. After all, if one didn't have to deal with his rampaging family, what else was there to do but be content with the comfy cushions?

Damn, now he was even starting to sound crazy to himself. He wished his friends were here. At least then he would actually be the sanest out of all them and he wouldn't be so restless. He blamed the anxiety for his weird thought process.

"Tsuna," Dino called, bringing him back on track. "Are you listening to me?"

"Are we talking about the sofa? Because if we aren't then, no. I am not listening to you."

Dino just snorted. "You've been spending way too much time with Reborn. Anyways," Dino said, his face brightening instantly, "I have a surprise for you."

Dino turned towards the door and tugging the brunet to his feet. "Come on, Tsuna!"

Tsuna complied reluctantly and let Dino drag him out of the mansion and into a waiting limo. He didn't even blink when he found who was waiting inside, one bouncing on the seat cushions excitedly and the other calmly sipping an espresso. Instead, he turned to Dino, who had gotten in beside him and closed the door.

"My surprise is Lambo and Reborn?" Tsuna asked, raising his eyebrow.

Dino just smiled knowingly and nodded at the driver. The limo pulled out of the driveway and the car took off towards the city. Tsuna sighed but said nothing, wondering where this was going. It wasn't like Dino to be mysterious. That was Reborn's job.

"Close your eyes."

Tsuna's gaze snapped to his tutor. "What? Why the hell would I do that? I _know_ you're going to shoot me or...or write on my face or something."

Lambo giggled. "I want a turn to write on Tsuna's face!"

Reborn rolled his eyes and smirked, holding up his gun. "Just close your eyes, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna twitched but did as he was told. Eventually, the limo rolled to a smooth stop. Tsuna listened as the door opened and someone stepped out. He could hear the engine humming quietly from outside the fancy car, the door staying open to let in a disharmony of sounds that reminded Tsuna of happier, more peaceful times.

"Keep your eyes closed," Dino reminded him excitedly, the blonde's voice coming from somewhere near the door. Dino grabbed Tsuna's wrist and gently pulled him towards the exit. Tsuna slid out, Dino helping him keep his balance when he accidentally stepped down too fast.

So Reborn and Lambo hadn't been his surprise. Tsuna had guessed that when they had started to drive away from the mansion, but it was nice that it had been confirmed for him.

The sounds had grown louder around him and Tsuna's body slumped as the tension started to drain away. He kept his eyes closed like Dino and Reborn had instructed him, but he couldn't help but want to glance around at his destination. He didn't, though, knowing full well Reborn would shoot him and leave him for dead. There was only so much you could get away with when it came to Reborn.

Tsuna froze then. He had heard...something. Like a yell. The voice was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

"Tenth!"

"Tsuna!"

Tsuna's eyes flew open and he was greeted with a mouthful of highly expensive suit jacket. He didn't struggle as warm arms wrapped around him. He just stood there in silence while he attempted to prod his brain into understanding. What...?

"OI! Baseball freak! Get your hands off the Tenth!" someone yelled from behind whoever was hugging him. "Can't you see he needs to breathe?!"

The person wrapped around him vibrated with laughter. "Sorry, sorry!" they said, pulling back to allow Tsuna to get a good look at his face. It was Yamamoto. Yamamoto was _here_. "I was just excited to see Tsuna!"

Gokudera slunk up next to Yamamoto, his hands shoved in his front pockets. He had his trademark scowl plastered on his face as he glared at the baseball player, but it immediately slipped off into a cheerful smile when he caught sight of Tsuna staring.

"Tenth!" he exclaimed. Then he frowned because Tsuna still hadn't moved; hadn't dared to even breathe. Was this a dream? "Tenth? Are you okay?"

Dino, Lambo, and Reborn came up behind Tsuna, the blond wrapping an arm around the stunned boy's shoulders. "Don't mind Tsuna. He didn't know you guys were coming home earlier and I think he's in shock."

Tsuna's brain was indeed struggling to play catch-up. Gokudera and Yamamoto...they were _here._ They were back in Italy and they weren't supposed to be back for another week or so. What was going on?

"EXTREME FLIGHT!" someone else yelled. Tsuna moved his gaze to focus on the person running towards their group at full speed. If they didn't move they would surely be hit...but no. The person halted right before their gathering group and held up both arms in the air. "Oi! Sawada! That was an extreme mission and next time you should definitely come with me and Octopus Head!"

Gokudera held up an irritated fist. "Turf Top! You idiot! You got on the wrong flight and I had to chase you down! You know how much work that was for me?!"

"It's not my fault I don't understand English!" Ryohei yelled.

"Apparently it's not your fault that you don't understand Japanese, either," Gokudera muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

That's when Ryohei caught sight of the baseball player laughing at Gokudera's and Ryohei's antics. "Oh, Yamamoto! You're back, too?"

One by one his guardians joined him, although, Ryohei and Yamamoto had been the only ones to give him a hug. Feeling slightly teary-eyed and shocked by the sight of his best friends, Tsuna laughed jovially and probably a little hysterically, effectively stopping any and all arguments between is guardians. Slowly, he rubbed any trace of tears from his eyes, even though he _definitely_ hadn't been crying.

"Tenth?"

"Herbivore," Hibari growled out, "if you're crying I will bite you to death."

Tsuna waved them off. "I'm fine. I'm really, really fine. I'm happy."

Slowly, his guardians turned away from him and gave him a little space, backing away from him and continuing their arguments.

Reborn had been planning this, Tsuna realized. He and Dino must have set this up to make Tsuna feel better. And it had worked. Tsuna felt amazing, invincible with his friends here at his side. The void in his chest had been filled with just the presence of his family.

Reborn jumped onto his shoulder. "Do you see Tsuna?" the hitman asked. "Whether in a small, noisy house, or a large, quiet one, your guardians are always there for you. They are your family."

Yes, his guardians were his family and his family was his home. He was home.


End file.
